In what might be called class warfare between the power elite and the dissidents of the Utah County Republican Party, the rebels won a victory last December when the party's central committee voted to do away with "ex officio" delegates — those given delegate status automatically by virtue of their elected office or party position.

Now there is a move to have that meeting invalidated and put things back the way they were.

That has led to volleys between the so-called outsiders and insiders.

The 144-130 vote in December means all of the 687 state delegates from Utah County would be elected by their peers. If that vote is invalidated, elected officials and party officers would automatically get 85 delegate seats without being elected.

Apoplexy arose in Happy Valley after the Utah County Republican Executive Committee voted last week to recommend the Dec. 10 meeting be nixed because a number of Central Committee members were not given proper notice. That recommendation will be considered and voted on at a meeting Saturday.

The dissidents say the insiders are trying to hold on to power and control the delegate process to keep Republican incumbents in office, rather than giving GOP challengers a legitimate shot.

But those who advocate keeping the automatic delegate system say the controversy has been stirred by a group of long-time dissidents who want power for themselves and believe they can get enough allies at neighborhood caucuses to change the balance.

Some say it's about the illegal immigration issue, with the dissidents gunning for legislative incumbents who supported a guest worker bill in last year's legislative session.

At least they can all agree that the BYU Cougars are Number One.

The British are coming • You've heard of the Patrick Henry Caucus at the Utah Legislature. Now, make way for the Thomas Paine Caucus.

This could be a trend. Next? The Ben Franklin Caucus. Or, with all the gun lovers on Capitol Hill, I'm surprised no one has started the Aaron Burr Caucus.

Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, announced on his blog, "Mr. Peterson's Perspectives," the formation of the Thomas Paine Common Sense Caucus: "Its origins stem from the desire to have ample information on bills and also provide insight on their impact to the state on several different levels."

Peterson, one of many first-term Republicans in the House, said he and his colleagues want more than just fiscal impact to be reviewed before a bill is passed. They want to know the effect of legislation on family status, small business, and "other socio-economic perspectives."

The Patrick Henry Caucus is best known for sound bites like "Give me liberty or give me death" and for a video portraying its members, who also have referred to themselves as the Fab Five, as super heroes. The Thomas Paine Caucus, at least, hasn't doesn't anything worth making fun of yet.

The fountain of youth • For long-time advertising and public relations executive John Dwan, maybe all those years in the gym have paid off.

When making a purchase at the Sugar House liquor store this week, he was asked to show his I.D.

Dwan is 74.

He says the cashier also scanned his driver license, telling him that is a requirement. But Francine Giani, interim director of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, says the whole incident can be chalked up to a rookie mistake.

She says the cashier was brand new and should have been wearing an "In Training" badge. New cashiers are encouraged to ask everyone for identification, regardless of their age, just to get them used to asking without feeling intimidated.

Liquor store employees are trained to ask anyone who looks under 35 to show I.D. She added that there is no requirement to scan driver licenses. That was just a misstatement on the part of the new hire.

As for Dwan, Giani said: "He ought to feel flattered."

prolly@sltrib.com